A step-by-step guide to crocheting the cute-as-pie Freddie Blanket
Ever gotten halfway through a project and thought “Hang on, am I even doing this right?” We have 🙋♀️
That’s why we’ve created these step-by-step guides to walk you through the crocheting process.
Even if you've never crocheted before, we'll take you from zero to crochet hero in no time 🦸♀️
When it comes to learning to crochet, practice makes perfect.
Before we get started on the pattern we suggest you spend a bit of time learning the basic stitches you’ll need to complete your blanket.
The Freddie Blanket is a cutie-patootie and a great beginner project. Made using double crochet you'll want to be confident with this stitch before you start 🧶 You'll also want to get a hang of tying a slip knot and chaining which is the first step in any crochet project.
You can use the yarn that came in your kit to practice these stitches. Once you've got these mastered you'll find the pattern a cinch!
Total beginner? 👩🏫
For a more comprehensive lesson on the basics of crochet visit our Learn How To Crochet page.
Onto the blanket!
💪 Remember learning a new skill can be a little challenging at first, and you’re bound to find yourself making some mistakes along the way. But as with learning anything, your brain and your hands slowly start to get the hang of it, muscle memory is created, and soon the thing you found tricky/daunting/scary is like second nature!
⚡️What you'll need
Your kit comes with everything you'll need to make your masterpiece. In your kit you'll find;
- 8mm hook
- 7 balls of Cardigang Chunky Cotton in colour 1
- 4 balls of Cardigang Chunky Cotton in colour 2
- A darning needle
- Made by me tag
You also want to have a pair of scissors and a tape measure handy.
⚡️Test your tension
Before you start your project, make sure your tension (how tightly or loosely your crocheting is) is juuuust right 🥣 We do this by making a “tension swatch”. It's a bit like goldilocks, if the tension is too tight, your piece will be too small, and if it's too loose it may not hold its shape and might be too big.
Gauge: If done correctly, your 10x10cm swatch should be 9 stitches wide and 5.5 rows high when made in double crochet on a 8mm hook.
To test this, grab your hook - use the yarn and hook that came in your kit. Chain on 13 + 2 stitches (the +2 makes your turning chain), then work in double crochet for 7 rows. Then measure a 10x10cm square and count your stitches and rows within that space to make sure you're crocheting at the correct tension.
If you've got more stitches or rows than the instructions say you should have, your work is a little too tight, and if you've got less your work is too loose. Adjust your tension by holding the yarn a little more tightly/loosely as you crochet.
🧶 Happy hooker, let's crochet!
Time to switch off. Stitch on. And whip up your cosy crochet blanket.
Chain
Chain on your foundation chain.
💭 Try to make your chain stitches as evenly sized as possible. Don't pull the loops too tight because you'll struggle to work into these loops in your first row. On the other hand, if you make your loops too loose, your project will look a little messy.
Double Crochet
Row 1
Your first 3 stitches will count as your first double crochet. Insert your hook into the 4th chain from the hook and do one double crochet. Then do one double crochet into every chain until you reach the end of the row.
Row 2
This row will be the foundation for the rest of your blanket. Chain 3 and turn your work - this is your turning chain and counts as your first double crochet. Double crochet into every stitch in the row.
💡 Make sure you put your last double crochet into the top of the turning chain from the previous row.
Repeat row 2 39 more times.
FASTEN OFF
Once your piece measures approximately 76cm you're going to fasten off by cutting your yarn from the ball and pulling it through the stitch on your hook.
TOP AND BOTTOM BOARDER
We're going to continue our double crochet along the top and bottom of our blanket.
Using colour 2 you'll join this new colour to your work with a single crochet stitch. You'll do another 5 rows of double crochet in the same manner as you've been working in.
💡 Make sure you chain 2 from the single crochet stitch to build the height in order to continue with the double crochet stitch along this first row.
VIDEO TO COME
SIDES
We hope you're having a blast making your blanket! 🎢 The finish line is in sight!
This time you'll be inserting your hook into the side of your stitches (not the top as we have been previously). You'll want to do one double crochet into each stitch.
💡 Because of the height of a double crochet stitch you might need to add in a stitch every 4th (or so) stitch. This will just help to keep your stitches tighter down the side borders.
FINISHING
The good news, you're basically finished! The less-good news, we need to weave in our tails! Grab your darning needle and sew all the loose tails of yarn back into the blanket. This gives your blanket a nice neat finish.
D.O.N.E! You've finished your blanket, well done! Epic work 🤩 If this was your first-ever crochet project or one of many, we hope you had a blast making your bangin' blanket 💥❤️
In a bind and need a little more help?
Email us at stitchup@cardigang.com.au and we'll be able to help! Whether you're just starting out, or you've got a specific question or problem (dropped a stitch, no stress!), we're here to get you out of a bind.